2012 has ushered in a new era of building code changes, with the enhancements focused primarily on higher levels of energy efficiency. Their impact on the construction industry as a whole and the roofing industry are quite significant. Perhaps the most noteworthy are those prescribed in the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), which calls for buildings to achieve a 30% increase in energy efficiencies over the 2006 IECC. This sixth edition of the code illustrates the growing importance of ensuring that all buildings are achieving high levels of energy efficiency in congruence with model building codes such as the IBC (International Building Code.)
According to the International Code Council (ICC), this comprehensive set of changes includes measures to improve the building envelope, HVAC systems and electrical systems of residential buildings up to three stories in height. Commercial building enhancements include required energy efficiency for windows, doors, skylights and the building envelope; and increased efficiencies for installed HVAC equipment, among others.
The new International Green Construction Code (IgCC), is an overlay code set to be published in the Spring of 2012. The IgCC is the first green building code developed in the ICC code development process. The IgCC is designed to reduce the negative impacts of the built environment on the natural environment. It was created by a broad-based committee with experts in such areas as government, business, academia, code development/enforcement, engineering and environmental advocacy.
The IgCC will go beyond traditional life/safety model codes and simulate some voluntary program requirements for commercial buildings to provide both safe and sustainable buildings. Thus, it will be used to incorporate sustainable practices within existing building codes at the state and/or jurisdictional level.
Of interest to the roofing industry are a number of provisions in the energy code. The IECC calls for the increase of insulation for low-slope roofs with above-deck insulation. This is important as insulation plays an important role in reducing a building’s energy use. The code’s prescriptive R-value and U-value requirements for above deck insulation by climate zone are simple and straightforward. (R-value is the measure of thermal resistance used in the building; U-value is measure of the rate of non-solar heat loss or gain (flow) through a material or assembly.)
The 2012 IECC code language also details solar reflectance and thermal emittance requirements and options for low sloped roofs in southern climate zones in addition to the minimum thermal resistance (in both R-value and U-value) of the insulating material required in roof assemblies.
Also making news later this year is the anticipated release of LEED 2012, the next version of the LEED rating systems. The 2012 version is still in draft, but indications are it will favor a more holistic and life cycle approach for products installed in LEED certified buildings and assemblies; and will reward transparency for sustainable manufacturing, socially responsible raw materials sourcing, and use of products with low VOC (volatile organic compounds) emissions.
While a detailed review of LEED 2012, IECC and IgCC are beyond the scope of this article, these new or revised codes and programs reveal the shift towards increased energy efficiency and environmental awareness not seen in previous versions of code. These objectives reinforce the overall importance of high-performance roofing systems as part of the building envelope. Now more than ever, a well-insulated and well protected roof is critical in new or renovated commercial buildings.
Beyond the pragmatic need to maximize energy efficiencies, code and program language is defining a roof’s emerging new role. Commercial roofs have become multi-use platforms that house a myriad of renewable energy systems and environmental features, such as photovoltaic (PV) and vegetative roofs.
These emerging assemblies, while enhancing the environmental and energy performance of a building, have added considerably to the foot traffic of the modern commercial roof. By definition, the very function of a roof is to protect the building and its contents. When additional equipment, PV panels or vegetation are installed and need to be maintained, it means more frequent foot traffic overall. These types of roof assemblies will bear a more taxing load that could stress the roofing systems beyond their normal capabilities. Add to that the economic risk that leaks, cracks and other damages could impart, and the value and importance of sustainable, durable and high-performing roofs grows exponentially.
As the new and revised codes prescribe, roofing systems are more complex and require more protective measures to increase its durability. The right premium cover board will help maintain the strength, durability and energy performance of a roofing system, allowing it to perform better, last longer, protect the building owner’s investment and support the tenants’ daily needs. Cover boards just take on added importance, given the added costs and complexity of the systems they protect and the potential consequences of a failure.
While a number of roof cover board materials are available to contractors, fiberglass-mat gypsum roofing boards, such as DensDeck Roof Boards for example, have proven to be effective. For more than 25 years, DensDeck panels have been shown to withstand delamination, deterioration, warping, and job site damage better than paper-faced gypsum board or other conventional roofing products, such as wood fiberboard and perlite.
Whatever roofing system you choose, be certain to select a durable cover board to protect the insulation needed for energy code and building program roof assembly R-values. While the prescriptive R-values vary by climate zone, every code or program requires some level of continuous insulation above the deck. The greater the insulation, the more roof protection makes sense. BD+C
Related Stories
| Dec 13, 2010
Energy efficiency No. 1 priority for commercial office tenants
Green building initiatives are a key influencer when tenants decide to sign a commercial real estate lease, according to a survey by GE Capital Real Estate. The survey, which was conducted over the past year and included more than 2,220 office tenants in the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, Sweden, the UK, Spain, and Japan, shows that energy efficiency remains the No. 1 priority in most countries. Also ranking near the top: waste reduction programs and indoor air.
| Dec 7, 2010
Are green building RFPs more important than contracts?
The Request for Proposal (RFP) process is key to managing a successful LEED project, according to Green Building Law Update. While most people think a contract is the key element to a successful construction project, successfully managing a LEED project requires a clear RFP that addresses many of the problems that can lead to litigation.
| Dec 7, 2010
Blue is the future of green design
Blue design creates places that are not just neutral, but actually add back to the world and is the future of sustainable design and architecture, according to an interview with Paul Eagle, managing director of Perkins+Will, New York; and Janice Barnes, principal at the firm and global discipline leader for planning and strategies.
| Dec 7, 2010
Green building thrives in shaky economy
Green building’s momentum hasn’t been stopped by the economic recession and will keep speeding through the recovery, while at the same time building owners are looking to go green more for economic reasons than environmental ones. Green building has grown 50% in the past two years; total construction starts have shrunk 26% over the same time period, according to “Green Outlook 2011” report. The green-building sector is expected to nearly triple by 2015, representing as much as $145 billion in new construction activity.
| Dec 7, 2010
USGBC: Wood-certification benchmarks fail to pass
The proposed Forest Certification Benchmark to determine when wood-certification groups would have their certification qualify for points in the LEED rating systemdid not pass the USGBC member ballot. As a result, the Certified Wood credit in LEED will remain as it is currently written. To date, only wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council qualifies for a point in the LEED, while other organizations, such as the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, the Canadian Standards Association, and the American Tree Farm System, are excluded.
| Dec 7, 2010
Prospects for multifamily sector improve greatly
The multifamily sector is showing signs of a real recovery, with nearly 22,000 new apartment units delivered to the market. Net absorption in the third quarter surged by 94,000 units, dropping the national vacancy rate from 7.8% to 7.1%, one of the largest quarterly drops on record, and rents increased for the second quarter in a row.
| Dec 7, 2010
Hot rumor: Norman Foster designing Apple’s new campus
Lord Norman Foster, reportedly has been selected to design Apple’s new campus in Cupertino, Calif. If the news is true, Foster is a good match for Apple say experts. Foster built his celebrity by marrying big gestures to technological wizardry. And, unlike some starchitects, he has glommed onto the environmental revolution—something Apple has made a point of embracing, too.
| Dec 7, 2010
10 megacities of the near future
With Beijing, Shanghai, and Mumbai already on the global radar, where can the next wave of construction be found? Far beyond China, India, and even Brazil it’s predicted. The world’s next future megacities could include Istanbul, Turkey; Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; and Khartoum, Sudan, among others. Read about these emerging and little-known behemoths.
